The present application relates generally to a method and system for use in dispensing consumer products proximate a point of use, and more particularly, to a system configured to allow the user, facility, or establishment to individualize the dispensing system to a desired or particular application or environment. The system is further configured to allow the user to select the aesthetic appearance of the dispensing system and the discrete components to correlate to an appearance more closely related to a user's preference or a particular environment associated with implementation of the individually configured dispensing system.
Foodstuffs and drinks are provided to consumers and patrons via many different types of commercial and banquet-type establishments, facilities, restaurants, institutions, cafeterias, and venues. Regardless of the specific vending or distribution methodology, a number of accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. are commonly supplied by the facility and distributed and/or acquired directly by consumers to satisfy their preferences and/or desires associated with consumption of acquired drinks and foodstuffs.
Accessories common to such environments, depending on the nature of the foodstuffs and/or drinks provided, can include silverware, plastic ware, drinking straws, cup lids, or other eating/drinking utensils/accessories associated with consumption of the foodstuffs. Paper or web material product accessories, such as napkins, wet-wipes, or the like, are also commonly provided. Many facilities also provide garnishes such as cherries, olives, lemons, limes, oranges, pickles, peppers, etc. and/or condiments such as dressings, ketchup, and/or mustard. Some such condiments, such as dressing, dipping sources, ketchup, and mustard, can also be provided as discrete containers or packets or acquired directly from bulk sources. The appearance and presentation of the various accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. can affect the consumer's opinion of the establishment as well as the efficiency and expediency with which discrete consumers can be served and/or acquire the desired accoutrements during any given interaction with a respective facility and/or vendor.
The various accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. are commonly contained in discrete dispensing appliances that are positioned in close proximity to one another or dispersed throughout the environment to facilitate dissemination or dispensing of the desired accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. Whether associated with a vendor side or a consumer side of the product exchange, the dispensers associated with use or distribution of the various accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. are not without their respective drawbacks.
Regardless of the status of the person intended to directly interact with the dispensing appliance, whether staff or employees of an establishment or the discrete consumers, such dispensing appliances are commonly uniquely configured to dispense only one or a few selected accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. That is, many such dispensing appliances are commonly provided in a fixed size and/or shape that render the discrete dispensing appliances ill-suited if not wholly incapable of being reconfigured for use in dispensing another of the accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. should the need or desire to do so arise.
The generally rigid and fixed construction associated with such dispensers also detracts from shipment and/or storage associated with maintaining a desired number of dispensers. That is, many vending and/or distribution methodologies, such as catering enterprises or the like, frequently do not have a conventional brick and mortar establishment and customarily do not have a static venue presentation and/or product platform such that various different dispensers may be desired or required to dispense different accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. during different events and/or at different locations and/or to the preferences of different users. Maintaining and/or acquiring a plurality of dispensers associated with dispensing a variety of accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. and that can satisfy the transportability and aesthetic preferences of a variety of users or consumers can be prohibitively costly.
Still further, many such dispensing appliances are provided in form factors that are selected to provide a generally compact dispenser for providing a desired discrete one of accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. The form factor associated with one discrete dispenser frequently does not lend visual continuity to the presentation of the multiple dispensers configured to dispense more than one of the accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. When positioned adjacent one another, the multiple dispensers are commonly provided in various heights, depths, widths, and inclinations that can detract from an aesthetically pleasing presentation of multiple dispensers. The presentation of a plurality of dispensers that have different sizes, shapes, and contours can also detract from the visual continuity associated with a particular environment.
Further still, although adjacent dispensers can be configured to dispense a variety of the accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. associated with a given environment or application, the various dispensers are commonly simply positioned adjacent one another. User interaction with any one dispenser can result in translation of the discrete dispenser relative to support surfaces as well as adjacent dispensers. The discrete translation of a given dispenser relative to adjacent dispensers and/or the supporting surface can detract from the visual continuity associated with the dispenser arrangement and can adversely affect the stability of the discrete dispenser as well as any adjacent dispensers via undesired physical interaction between adjacent discrete dispensers.
Therefore, there is a need for a food and drink services dispensing system that can be individually configured to dispense one or a group of various accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. There is a further need for food services dispensing systems that include dispensers that can selectively physically connected to one another. There is also a need for food services dispensing system having a selectable, adjustable, or variable aesthetic appearance to satisfy the unique demands or expectations of a variety of users and suitable for use in a variety of environments. It is also preferably desired to provide a food services dispensing system that includes a plurality of components that are one or more of nestable and/or collapsible to facilitate efficient transport, storage, and deployment of the discrete dispensers. Preferably, each dispenser associated with the dispensing system is configured to dispense a plurality of various discrete accessories, garnishes, condiments, etc. in a sanitary and efficient manner.